While the above is certainly true, only Samuelsson and Salo were better than their replacements in this system with this coach.

You could trade just about anyone in our system and I bet they would perform better offensively on their new team than whatever piece(s) we got back perform here.

Salo/Garrison - well Salo has way more NHL experience and was a right handed shot, I would expect him to play better on the right side and also to be a more calming and stabilizing presence on the ice. I think you will always want the seasoned vet back over the younger player in the first year or so unless the youngster is a Karlsson or Crosby when it comes to the way they think the game. Gillis did want to retain Salo, but not at the price that Tampa paid. None of us would have been cheering over that contract.

Grabner/Ballard - different positions, forwards should put up more points. Grabner wasn't getting any more opportunities here with AV. I suspect that trade was motivated by Vigneault telling GMMG that he couldn't win without another top 4 defenseman who could skate both ways.

Hodgson/Kassian - different players completely. CoHo was a head case apparently. Hodgson wasn't producing until he was sheltered and showcased. Kassian was flying when he was receiving similar treatment to start the year. Bring Cody back and give him the same minutes that Kassian is getting and I bet he's got the worst +/- on the team and fewer points.

Samuelsson/Booth - we gave up smarts for speed and size. Sammy was a good vet to have, but he was streaky, I miss his hockey smarts, but I don't miss the question mark behind his name most nights. At least Booth brings an intensity level and speed you can count on night in and out. But Booth is never going to think the game like Samuelsson.

Letting Ehrhoff go and giving Lou that many years were the two biggest mistakes GMMG made. Lou should have been signed to a deal that ended when he was 39, not 41. Upped the cap hit by $500k but having it come off the books sooner may have made him a more manageable trade at this point if the back end had been structured similarly to the way it is now.

the Dogsalmon wrote:RD is one of the few aroung here who does not dream about rubbing GMMG's cock all over their faces... he sees it the way it is...Gillis is a shitty GM... End of story.

I'm leaning more this way, but not because of the players he's moved; because of the loyalty to a coaching staff that should have been gone after a first round exit that didn't even get to 5 games.....this after floundering and playing absolute shit hockey for a month and a half leading up to the playoffs.

the Dogsalmon wrote:RD is one of the few aroung here who does not dream about rubbing GMMG's cock all over their faces... he sees it the way it is...Gillis is a shitty GM... End of story.

I'm leaning more this way, but not because of the players he's moved; because of the loyalty to a coaching staff that should have been gone after a first round exit that didn't even get to 5 games.....this after floundering and playing absolute shit hockey for a month and a half leading up to the playoffs.

leaning more this way???? are you serious!!! your posts read that your choice of position is the middle of the circle...

the Dogsalmon wrote:RD is one of the few aroung here who does not dream about rubbing GMMG's cock all over their faces... he sees it the way it is...Gillis is a shitty GM... End of story.

I'm leaning more this way, but not because of the players he's moved; because of the loyalty to a coaching staff that should have been gone after a first round exit that didn't even get to 5 games.....this after floundering and playing absolute shit hockey for a month and a half leading up to the playoffs.

leaning more this way???? are you serious!!! your posts read that your choice of position is the middle of the circle...

My post regarding MG have always been in regards to his decisions on players and the subsequent signings and moves. I'm definitely middle of the circle there, and probably lean a bit more towards him being an alright GM.

But I am getting fed up with our coaching staff, that is no secret. If there are two whipping boys that I have on this team they are Edler and Vigneault.

When you look at what this team needs right now a center and a dman on the right side, I am frustrated by his choices to some extent. I do think we had the pieces and picks to pry Weber's rights out of Nashville. Edler should have been part of that package, even if it included a first, Ballard, Raymond, and a prospect. I would have given up a pair of 1st rounders given this team's drafting track record. He still could have signed Garrison and we would have had....

the Dogsalmon wrote:RD is one of the few aroung here who does not dream about rubbing GMMG's cock all over their faces... he sees it the way it is...Gillis is a shitty GM... End of story.

If Gillis is such a shitty GM, this must be one hell of a group of players who have put together one of the best records of success in the NHL over the past 5 years totally IN SPITE of the shitty, terrible, god awful management from the top.

Come gather around me my little Canuck Minions. I know the ways of the world

All kidding aside, my usual beef as always with the opinions of Gillis around here is that he walked into an ideal situation that any GM would dream to have, where I seem to get into trouble around here is arguing this with those who somehow think Mike is a real special GM and this good run was all his doing, in which we all know was not. I will give Kudos to Gillis for recognizing that the previous regimes had put real good pieces in place in all positions and that the previous managements good work is made aware of by Gillis not trading that core group provided by previous GM's. Outside of that, I think he has done a below average job in adding to that.

It was a fail safe system he inherited. You could drop any role playing bottom 6 forward or 3rd pairing defenders with that core group and we would still have won those overrated Presidents Trophies. The results the same. At the end of the day, it's your top players that take you to the promise land not your bottom 6 and 3rd pairing defenseman. And the Canucks had a top notch core group with great players in all the important areas that was just about to hit it's stride when Gillis took over the reigns.

What I like about the current situation is that we finally get to see what ole Mikey is made of, and so far he's coming across as kind of confused as to what to do and lacking the balls to make a bold move in which I think this team really needs right now. These constant tinkerings of the 3rd and 4th line and 3rd pairing defenseman is getting fucking tiresome and ain't doing much.

Last edited by RoyalDude on Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

Blob Mckenzie wrote:This is a big year for Gillis imho. This team has a couple of glaring holes and he damned well needs to plug them before or at the deadline.

Unlike the urine crew I don't jump up and down and cry and call the guy a shitty GM and fill my jeans with piss. But hey whatever floats your boat.

so Blob...when the holes are still apparent after the deadline are you still going to be applying lube???

If the holes are still here and they flame out in the first round I will be all over Gillis like a bad smell. He has less than a month to tinker with this team . i just don't see the need to crap all over the guy when there is really nothing going on as far as trades go right now.

Obviously I want the team to win but I'm not sure that watching them blow their wad trying to load up at the trade deadline in order to do it is the way to go. I guess I just think it's too late to solve problems like "what happens if Kesler gets injured" and "what happens if we need another first line forward" at this stage of the season (and given all the weirdness inherent in a short season).

I agree with Blob that this year is a big one for Gillis.. but for me it's more about where this franchise is headed next season than how they finish this one.

Anything can happen this season as all teams not the Blackhawks hit bumps in the road during the season but there are too many question marks with this club.

If the season does end up a failure, early round exit, don't make the playoffs etc. Gillis has to make a serious face lift to the club and firing the coach in which you know he will, is just temporarily steering the attention away from the real problem which is the personnel on the ice, his doing, not AV's. It doesn't help either that his drafting over these last 5 drafts has been fucking horrible to say the least.

IMO, Kesler, Edler and Schneider are the trades to make. And buying out one of or both Booth and Ballard if you can't trade them. It's not a rebuild, not with the Sedins here. Nobody wants Luongo and that contract with his age. Luongo is not going to return us a significant asset to make that change this team needs to make. Gillis is fucking dreaming if he thinks some GM is gonna cave in to him.

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

the Dogsalmon wrote:RD is one of the few aroung here who does not dream about rubbing GMMG's cock all over their faces... he sees it the way it is...Gillis is a shitty GM... End of story.

If Gillis is such a shitty GM, this must be one hell of a group of players who have put together one of the best records of success in the NHL over the past 5 years totally IN SPITE of the shitty, terrible, god awful management from the top.

Boy, that is impressive.

And given that posters opinions of the previous GM this team has somehow continued on a more or less upward trajectory for the past nine years despite awful management every step of the way.

As far as I can tell the Dogsalmon just likes talking shit (even if it's the same shit, over and over) and when cornered likes to throw out the "I've been a fan for __ years, win the cup blah blah" routine.